Kirin Holdings Selected for 'DX Brand 2026'

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (President and COO Takeshi Minakata) was selected as a 'DX Brand 2026' on April 10 (Friday) in the 'Digital Transformation Brand (DX Brand) 2026' *1 selected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

*1 Digital Transformation Brand (DX Brand) (METI/Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)

The 'Digital Transformation Brand (DX Brand)' is an initiative by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange to select and announce companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange that are actively engaged in 'Digital Transformation (DX)' to fundamentally transform their business models using digital technology and lead to new growth and strengthened competitiveness.

The Kirin Group has formulated its long-term management vision 'Innovate2035!' and has set the vision of 'making the world healthier as a CSV advanced company that continuously creates innovation with the power of people and technology.' To continuously create innovation by combining technological capabilities utilizing fermentation and biotechnology with organizational capabilities centered on consumer-oriented marketing, co-creation with AI is indispensable. Under 'KIRIN Digital Vision 2035' *2, which is linked to this vision, the company aims to become a world-leading CSV advanced company by enhancing the 'quality,' 'quantity,' and 'speed' of value creation through digital power. This selection is a comprehensive evaluation of the Kirin Group's company-wide efforts, such as 'transformation of business processes,' 'improvement of existing business value,' and 'acceleration and development of new businesses' utilizing digital.

*2 https://www.kirinholdings.com/jp/innovation/dx/

Specific Initiatives

● Promotion of Generative AI Utilization

We are promoting organizational penetration based on the generative AI utilization promotion roadmap. In 2025, the individual AI utilization rate exceeded 70% across the entire Kirin Group. Kirin Holdings headquarters achieved a level close to 100% utilization, and in terms of productivity improvement, the AI-driven task replacement rate exceeded 10% *3. The promotion of AI utilization is being advanced in conjunction with efforts to strengthen the foundation, such as fostering a corporate culture, human resource development, and AI infrastructure. In terms of organization, DX promotion organizations have been newly established and strengthened in major operating companies *4, and human resource development is being promoted. The 'DX Dojo' program for improving employee digital skills has been attended by over 5,100 people in total by 2025 for its main courses, and practical courses for learning AI utilization in a short time have been newly established since last year, with over 3,500 attendances by 2025.

*3 Evaluated as the equivalent amount of total working hours of all employees for business efficiency improvement effects through digital and AI utilization. *4 DX specialized organizations and dedicated personnel are placed in operating companies centered on Kirin Brewery Company, Limited and Kirin Beverage Company, Limited to establish a system for promoting DX.

● Taste AI *5

We have developed a taste AI 'FJWLA/Fujiwara (Flavor Judgment for Whole Liking Analysis)' that can efficiently and comprehensively identify important components affecting the deliciousness (sensory evaluation) felt by customers. This mechanism was also utilized as a product development support tool for the 2026 renewal of Kirin Beer's flagship product 'Hareka'.

'FJWLA' is a mechanism that organizes and analyzes consumer preference surveys and beer component data accumulated by Kirin. It is characterized by its ability to visualize points that need improvement among the components affecting the taste and aroma in beer, and it plays a role in supporting the discussions and considerations of development personnel.

*5 https://www.kirinholdings.com/jp/newsroom/release/2025/1212_01.html

The Kirin Group will reliably promote both axes of digital utilization stated in 'KIRIN Digital Vision 2035': 'zero work that people don't have to do (productivity improvement)' and 'accelerating work that creates value with people (value creation).' Through manufacturing that naturally observes people, we will expand new joys of 'food and health' and contribute to the realization of a rich society.